A Cold and Aloof Top Student Is Relied Upon - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: The Journey Back

◎Strangers◎

The bus hadn’t reached its destination yet when Gu Baozhi called Gu Zhu. She was working the day shift and would be able to pick Gu Zhu up from the station when she got off work. She told her not to miss her stop and to call her when she arrived.

Gu Zhu agreed and told her that she would be there in about ten minutes and would call her then.

After hanging up, she glanced at Bai Tan beside her, her lowered eyelashes trembling slightly, belatedly feeling a little embarrassed.

One earbud was in her ear, and the other hung on her collarbone. Bai Tan had taken it out of her ear when she answered the phone.

The unexpected phone call broke the calm atmosphere between them, leaving her unable to find another topic of conversation.

Shyness and awkwardness surfaced belatedly. They both leaned against the back of their seats. The bright lights of the city flowed in after they entered the county, and the emotions that had been lurking in the shadows seemed to automatically fall into slumber as the light and dark alternated.

Gu Zhu let out a soft sigh. The illusion settled in her heart, turning into thin snow and quietly melting into her soul. The fluttering feeling danced through her veins, as if on her fingertips. She squeezed the earbud cord, wrapped it around her finger, and finally put it back in her bag.

The stack of test papers was neatly tucked into a divider. She paused, pulled out the paper Bai Tan had worked on, and, with her excellent memory, handed it to the person next to her. “The study guide on page 89 has similar examples and exercises. When you get back, put it in your mistake notebook and continue to practice.”

Bai Tan took it, her eyes slightly widened, still a little dazed. The warmth of their bodies pressed against each other, the weight of her head on her shoulder, and the faint scent of her perfume seemed to still linger. This test paper pulled her back to reality, as if the previous turmoil had just been her own fantasy.

She pouted slightly, feeling an indescribable unhappiness. She placed the test paper over her face. Gu Zhu is so concerned about my studies. Is she a sapiosexual who only likes people who are good at school?

She was startled by her own speculation. She took the test paper off her face, leaned over, and asked her, “If, I mean, if I don’t do well on this exam, what will you do?”

They were going back to school tomorrow, and the results would probably be out the day after. In their class group chat, all kinds of discussions, speculations, and groans had already started.

Bai Tan had been added to the group the day after she transferred. The anonymous chats were hilarious. Some people’s IDs were easy to guess, like the most active one, “The First Wind-Ear of Three Seas,” which she guessed was Luo Minmin.

The personas in the group were all different. Some people who were quiet in real life were very active in the group, creating a great sense of contrast.

Although the discussions in the group were always trivial and mundane, and sometimes they would even get into arguments, it was noisy and lively in a way that she strangely liked.

Bai Tan would sometimes participate as well. She was the last to join and was the only one who wasn’t anonymous, but because of that, she received even more warmth. She became a topic of conversation in the group, and her laughter and jokes made it seem as if she had always been a part of it.

It was an ordinary routine, but it felt very real to her. Even though it had only been about half a month, her life had already been filled with enthusiastic classmates, easy-to-get-along-with roommates, and a friend whom she liked very much.

This friend was the “academic star” everyone talked about. The academic star had held her hand, leaned on her shoulder, and been held in her arms. Now, she was seemingly checking up on her studies.

She looked at her expectantly. The test paper covered the bottom half of her face, leaving only a pair of expressive eyes. “Tell me the truth, do you like me, or do you like me because I’m good at studying?”

What is she talking about? How did the conversation get to this point? Gu Zhu was momentarily caught off guard by the young lady’s boundless imagination. She pulled down the test paper from her face. “If you feel stressed…” I can adjust the plan.

Before she could finish, the test paper was silently pulled away and carefully folded. “No, what I actually want to ask is, are you a sapiosexual, a logical lover, or an emotional lover?” The young lady’s attempt at being subtle failed, so she decided to be direct. She waited nervously for Gu Zhu’s answer.

The words Bai Tan used were unfamiliar. It was the first time Gu Zhu had heard such a question, but since the meaning of the words was straightforward, she could understand it. She thought for a few seconds, found no answer, and shook her head. “I don’t know.”

She was still puzzled by Bai Tan asking such a question. “So what’s the connection?”

“The connection is that I want to be a…” Bai Tan’s words were cut off. She froze, forcibly swallowing the words. She suddenly looked at Gu Zhu, who was quietly waiting for her answer, with a very intense gaze. The girl’s eyes were clean, and she looked at her with a clear, slightly confused expression. The traffic outside the window kept passing by, making her look even more serene and indifferent.

A buzzing sound went off in her head, and she seemed to realize something. She seemed to be back in that night, feeling the sudden turmoil in her heart when she saw Gu Zhu in the dim light.

“Become what?”

The girl across from her had her lips slightly parted. Her soft lips, pearly white teeth, and a hint of red were still asking for an answer.

Bai Tan was in a daze, her mind filled with the thought, I’m done for.

She was done for. She might really not be straight.

The person who was halfway through her answer suddenly fell into a trance. The bus had already arrived at their destination. Gu Zhu had to temporarily give up, pulled her hand, and reminded her to get off.

Because it was a holiday, there were many people at the bus station at this time. People were walking in groups of two or three on both sides of the road. She looked around but didn’t see Gu Baozhi’s figure right away.

Gu Zhu hadn’t forgotten how Bai Tan had gotten to her aunt’s house with her. She was a little worried and asked her, “How are you getting home?”

Bai Tan’s eyes were still blank, as if she was thinking about some important question. Seeing her slightly furrowed brows, she unconsciously softened her gaze and gently rubbed them with her fingertip. “Don’t worry, someone is coming to pick me up.” Before they left, she had borrowed Gu Zhu’s phone and had already made arrangements. Bai Tan pointed to a car in a parking spot by the road. The person in the car, who had probably spotted her, got out and was waiting nearby. “Right there.”

It was a woman wearing a ruffled blouse. Her black pencil skirt showed off her good figure, and her hair was tied up in a bun, making her look sharp. Although she was wearing flats, she looked very tall, with a professional yet casual air about her.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. Gu Zhu stared at the person, her mind suddenly went blank. She stood still, clutching her phone tightly. For a moment, she felt that the streetlights were too bright, bright enough for her to see the person clearly, and bright enough for the other person to see her clearly.

She lowered her gaze. Gu Baozhi called her again. Before answering, she said goodbye to Bai Tan. “My mom is here to pick me up. Bye.”

She turned around and answered Gu Baozhi’s call. When she found out she was at the nearby supermarket, she slowly let out a breath. “Okay, I’m coming to find you now. Mom, don’t move. I’m afraid I’ll miss you.”

She walked forward, never once looking back, and quickly disappeared from Bai Tan’s sight.

Bai Tan still looked in the direction she had left. The night breeze blew her long hair. She had already changed back into her own clothes. Her white short-sleeved shirt was baggy and puffed up in the wind.

She was, of course, aware of Gu Zhu’s strangeness. Even though she was pretending to be nonchalant, her unconscious actions of pursing her lips and clenching her fists had already given her away.

After a while, she walked to the car, got in through the door the woman had opened for her, and sat down. After the other person got into the driver’s seat and drove off smoothly, she spoke. “Did my dad send you to spy on me?”

Luo Ning glanced at her in the rearview mirror and then looked away. She was one of Bai Tan’s father’s secretaries. Her main task after being transferred back was to look after Bai Tan. “It’s not spying; it’s taking care of you. Chairman Bai is very concerned about you.”

“Tsk, you don’t have to speak so highly of him. I remember, didn’t you grow up around here, Sister Luo?”

“Yes, I lived here until high school. It’s a coincidence. I also went to high school in Sanhai, so we’re schoolmates now.” She spoke calmly, a slight smile on her lips. She was gentle and friendly, making it easy to get closer to her during a conversation. “I suppose that’s why the chairman asked me to come. If you have any needs, just let me know, and I’ll do my best.”

Luo Ning always spoke and acted this way, never giving a full commitment. Just like now, she was clearly a supervisor, but she called it taking care of her. She said to let her know if she had any needs, but then she said she would “do her best,” which was a way of not committing fully. Bai Tan was not unfamiliar with her. She had met all of her dad’s secretaries. They were all from top schools and were very smooth in their work, especially Luo Ning, who was considered a top-tier talent. So she shrugged off her words. “Then you must have a lot of friends and relatives here, right?”

“To be honest, I’ve been away for so long that my relationships have grown distant. So no, not many.”

Bai Tan said “oh” and didn’t press further. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. After they arrived and before going upstairs, she leaned on the handrail and said to the person who had followed her in, “I forgot to say this in the car, but I don’t like people interfering in my life. So if there’s no reason, Sister Luo, please don’t appear in front of me, including at school. Understand?”

Luo Ning looked up at the girl on the landing. As the family’s sole heir, Bai Tan was not only from a good family but was also exceptionally beautiful. The charisma and ability she had shown when traveling with the chairman had already revealed her potential, so her warning was not surprising.

“I will do my job as expected. You can rest assured.” She bowed her head slightly and waited for the person on the landing to slowly leave before returning to her own room to do her work.

Back in her room, Bai Tan couldn’t resist sending a message to Gu Zhu and quickly received a message that she had arrived home safely. Her fingertips hovered over the keyboard, hesitating to continue.

That impulsive kiss she had given.

That question that was cut short.

And that hasty retreat when she saw Luo Ning.

Bai Tan tapped on the background of their chat, the photo of the two of them. The image was of Gu Zhu looking at her with a smile that hadn’t faded. She exited, found the photo in her album again, and zoomed in until Gu Zhu’s face filled the entire screen.

Maybe I’ll draw a picture like this. Framing her into my world would be okay, right?

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